The following media round up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 6 January to 12 January 2023.
Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia . Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 12 January 2023
Human Rights Watch, HRW’s World Report 2023 shows that 2022 was a worrying year in Central and Southeast Europe with a high record of abuse by authoritarian rulers, political tensions and human rights violations. The full article can be found here.
Moldova – 12 January 2023
Moldova’s pro-European leaders may have the will to reform the justice system in the race for EU accession talks, but capacity is another matter. The full article can be found here.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 11 January 2023
Courts across the country have issued at least 172 warrants for the arrests of war crimes suspects, indicters and convicts who can’t be brought to justice because they are no longer in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The full article can be found here.
North Macedonia – 10 January 2023
North Macedonia’s prosecution has filed fraud charges against cardio surgeon and hospital owner Zan Mitrev for allegedly duping COVID-19 patients into undergoing his expensive but experimental treatment. The full article can be found here.
Serbia – 10 January 2023
The Serbian judiciary has taken over the prosecution of Milorad Kotur, who is accused of involvement in killing over 50 Bosniaks and Croats, and Lazar Mutlak, who is charged with raping and sexually abusing a Bosniak woman. The full article can be found here.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 10 January 2023
The Bosnian state court upheld the verdict convicting former reservist policeman Dusan Culibrk of involvement in the wartime killings of more than 50 Bosniaks and Croats in the Bosanska Krupa area in 1992. The full article can be found here.
Albania – 10 January 2023
Concerns are growing over the credibility of Albania’s May local elections due to an ongoing court battle over control of the opposition Democrats. The full article can be found here.
Kosovo – 6 January 2023
A suspect was arrested after a man and a boy were injured in a drive-by shooting near the eastern Kosovo town of Shterpce and officials confirmed that a member of the Kosovo Security Force was involved in the incident. The full article can be found here.